Michelle Cooks: Raspberry Swirl Raw Cheesecake Cups

Sweet, savory and healthy.

Lift up your spirit by learning how to make frozen raspberry swirl, raw cheesecake cups with a chocolatey nut and date crust.

It happens the recipe is also paleo and vegan.

Raspberry Swirl Raw Cheesecake Cups

Prep time

2 hours, 30 mins

Makes 15 cups

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 1/2 cup packed pitted dates
• 1 1/2 cups raw pecans or walnuts almonds or other nuts
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• Cheesecake
• 2 cups raw cashews soaked in water overnight
• 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice about 1/2 small lemon, plus more to taste

Raspberry Swirl

• 1 cup raspberries
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey

Crust instructions:

Add dates and pecans to a food processor or high-powered blender. Blitz together until the dates and nuts are broken up into small pieces and come together.

Blend in the cocoa powder.

If your mixture is too dry add a couple more dates. You may need to stop and scrape the sides down occasionally.

Scoop out about 1 tablespoons of the crust and press into each cup of a standard 12 cup muffin tin lined with cupcake/muffin wrappers until evenly filled.

Raspberry Swirl

To make the raspberry puree, place the raspberries, water and sweetener in a small sauce pan on a medium heat for about 8 to 10 minutes.

Use a fork to stir the mixture and mash up the raspberries.

Once cooked, place a fine mesh strainer over a small bowl and use the fork to squeeze out the liquid into the bowl.

Discard the leftover solids.

Set aside the puree to cool to room temp while you make the cheesecake base.

Cheesecake

For the cheesecake layer, begin by draining the water from the cashews and then placing them in a high speed blender or food processor with the remaining cheesecake ingredients.

Blend it all together until it becomes smooth. This should take 60-90 seconds.

Taste and adjust flavor as needed. Add another 1-2 tablespoons of maple if you like it sweet.

When the flavor is right, pour the cheesecake filling over the crusts.

Carefully drizzle the cooled raspberry puree over the tops of the filling and then drag a knife or toothpick across the top to create the rippled effect. Cover and place in the freezer for about an hour to firm.